By: Jake Krier, UWEC Sports Information
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (blugolds.com) - On Friday, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire softball team secured another pair of victories on the first half of their 2017 Spring Break trip in Florida. The Blugolds topped Illinois Wesleyan, a team receiving votes in the most recent NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) Poll, as well as Marietta College.
Two clutch home runs were the key to the morning's 3-2 win over Illinois Wesleyan. After the Blugolds held a 1-0 lead through four-and-a-half innings of play, the Titans took a 2-1 advantage into the sixth after scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Evie Schaller (Sr.-Chippewa Falls, Chi-Hi) hit a solo shot in the top of the sixth to tie it; then, Kelsey Meredith's (Sr.-Golden Valley, MN/Armstrong) round-tripper in the seventh ended up being the game-winner as the Titans went down in order in the bottom half for the Blugolds third straight win.
Uncharacteristic, at least to date, was that Lauren Blasczyk (Sr.-Appleton, WI/East) surrendered eight hits in her complete game effort. However, the senior pitcher was able to limit the damage, only allowing two earned runs and one walk. She struck out four batters and picked up her fifth win on the season.
In the afternoon's game against Marietta College, the Blugolds jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two innings. The Pioneers bounced back with two runs of their own in the third to cut the lead in half. After scoring again in the fifth, UW-Eau Claire's lead was down to one run. However, they poured it on in the fifth and sixth, scoring four more runs to win 8-3.
Emily Pomykalski (Sr.-Cross Plains, WI/Middleton), Carlie Christensen (Jr.-Ellsworth, WI/River Falls), and Sam Noetzelman (Sr.-Delano, MN) all went 2-for-3 in the win with Pomykalski ripping both a double and a triple to account for her hits.
Sarah Peka (Fr.-Chanhassen, MN/Minnetonka) got the nod to start, and she put in five innings of work. Peka struck out three, allowed no walks, and gave up three earned runs on seven hits. Cheyenne Johnson (Fr.-Poplar, WI/Northwestern) received her first opportunity in a Blugolds uniform and took full advantage of it. Johnson pitched two innings, didn't allow any hits or runs, and sent down two Pioneers via strikeout. Her efforts earned her a save as well.
The Blugolds wrap up the Rebel Games portion of their Spring Break trip on Saturday morning, when they face Farmingdale State (8:00 a.m. CST) and Washington & Jefferson (10:15 a.m. CST).
Follow the action all season long on Blugold Game Day.
